Gas supplying apparatus, gas supply control method, and substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

Proposed are a gas supplying apparatus, a gas supply control method, and a substrate processing apparatus. The device that supplies a gas to a chamber adapted to perform a processing operation on a substrate includes a gas supply line connected from a gas source to the chamber and providing a flow path for the gas, a circulation line branching off from a branch point of the gas supply line and connected to an upstream side of the branch point, an ejector having an internal space that sucks a gas provided from the circulation line using a pressure of the gas introduced from the gas source, and injecting the gas in the internal space into the gas supply line, and a flow control module configured to regulate a flow rate of the gas supplied to the chamber by controlling the pressure of the gas in the gas supply line.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas supplying apparatus that supplies a gas to a chamber adapted to perform processing on a substrate, the gas supplying apparatus comprising:
 a gas supply line connected from a gas source to the chamber and providing a flow path for the gas;   a circulation line branching off from a branch point of the gas supply line and connected to an upstream side of the branch point;   an ejector having an internal space that sucks a gas provided from the circulation line using a pressure of the gas introduced from the gas source, and injecting the gas in the internal space into the gas supply line; and   a flow control module configured to regulate a flow rate of the gas supplied to the chamber by controlling the pressure of the gas in the gas supply line,   wherein openness between the gas supply line and the circulation line is controlled based on an internal pressure of the gas supply line and a control pressure of the flow control module.   
     
     
         2 . The gas supplying apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the ejector comprises:
 a body forming the internal space;   an inlet nozzle provided to allow the gas provided from the gas source to flow in;   a suction nozzle provided to allow the gas provided from the circulation line to be sucked in; and   a diffuser nozzle for spraying the gas in the internal space into the gas supply line.   
     
     
         3 . The gas supplying apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first supply valve provided between the ejector and the flow control module;   a second supply valve provided between the flow control module and the chamber;   a first circulation valve provided at a position adjacent to the flow control module in the circulation line;   a second circulation valve provided at a position adjacent to the ejector in the circulation line;   a first pressure gauge provided in a first section between the first supply valve and the flow control module in the gas supply line; and   a circulation line pressure gauge provided between the first circulation valve and the second circulation valve in the circulation line.   
     
     
         4 . The gas supplying apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the flow control module comprises:
 a control valve provided at a position adjacent to the first supply valve and controlling an opening rate of the gas supply line;   an orifice provided at a position adjacent to the second supply valve;   a second pressure gauge provided in a second section between the control valve and the orifice in the gas supply line;   a third pressure gauge provided in a third section between the orifice and the second supply valve; and   a controller configured to control the control valve to maintain a pressure of the second section in the gas supply line at a set control pressure.   
     
     
         5 . The gas supplying apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the second supply valve is set to repeatedly open and be closed by a pulse signal at regular intervals, and the gas is supplied to the chamber at a supply flow rate determined by means of the control valve during a time the second supply valve is open. 
     
     
         6 . The gas supplying apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein at a first timing when the second supply valve is opened, the control valve is controlled so that a first control pressure corresponding to a first gas supply flow rate is maintained in the second section, and
 at a second timing when the second supply valve is closed, if a pressure of the gas remaining in the second section is greater than a second control pressure corresponding to a second gas supply flow rate in a third timing, the first circulation valve is controlled to open for a set period of time.   
     
     
         7 . The gas supplying apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein if a difference between a pressure of the gas remaining in the second section and a pressure of the gas remaining in the circulation line is greater than a reference value, the second circulation valve is controlled to open at a third timing when the second supply valve is opened. 
     
     
         8 . The gas supplying apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a dump line branched from the circulation line at a position between the first circulation valve and the second circulation valve, and connected to a discharge end; and   a dump valve provided on the dump line.   
     
     
         9 . The gas supplying apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein during a blocking time when the second supply valve is closed, an opening of the dump valve is controlled based on internal pressures of the gas supply line, an internal pressure of the circulation line, and a control pressure for gas supply after the blocking time. 
     
     
         10 . The gas supplying apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein at a first timing when the second supply valve is opened, the control valve is controlled so that a first control pressure corresponding to a first gas supply flow rate is maintained in the second section,
 at a second timing when the second supply valve is closed, if a pressure of the gas remaining in the second section is greater than a second control pressure corresponding to a second gas supply flow rate in a third timing, the second circulation valve is controlled to open for a set period of time,   at a third timing when the second supply valve is opened, the control valve is controlled so that the second control pressure is maintained in the second section, and   at a fourth timing when the second supply valve is closed, if a pressure of the first section is greater than a first reference value, a pressure of the circulation line is greater than a second reference value, and a pressure of the second section is greater than a third control pressure corresponding to a third gas supply flow rate in a fifth timing, the dump valve is controlled to open.   
     
     
         11 . A gas supply control method performed by a gas supplying apparatus comprising: a gas supply line connected from a gas source to a chamber and providing a flow path for a gas; a circulation line branching off from a branch point of the gas supply line and connected to an upstream side of the branch point; an ejector having an internal space that sucks a gas provided from the circulation line using a pressure of the gas introduced from the gas source, and injecting the gas in the internal space into the gas supply line; and a flow control module configured to regulate a flow rate of the gas supplied to the chamber by controlling the pressure of the gas in the gas supply line, the method comprising:
 determining a control pressure of the flow control module based on a supply flow rate of the gas; and   supplying the gas to the chamber at a supply flow rate corresponding to the control pressure,   wherein openness between the gas supply line and the circulation line is controlled based on an internal pressure of the gas supply line and a control pressure of the flow control module.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the gas supplying apparatus comprises:
 a first supply valve provided between the ejector and the flow control module;   a second supply valve provided between the flow control module and the chamber;   a first circulation valve provided at a position adjacent to the flow control module in the circulation line;   a second circulation valve provided at a position adjacent to the ejector in the circulation line;   a first pressure gauge provided in a first section between the first supply valve and the flow control module in the gas supply line; and   a circulation line pressure gauge provided between the first circulation valve and the second circulation valve in the circulation line.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the flow control module comprises:
 a control valve provided at a position adjacent to the first supply valve and controlling an opening rate of the gas supply line;   an orifice provided at a position adjacent to the second supply valve;   a second pressure gauge provided in a second section between the control valve and the orifice in the gas supply line;   a third pressure gauge provided in a third section between the orifice and the second supply valve; and   a controller configured to control the control valve to maintain a pressure of the second section in the gas supply line at a set control pressure.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second supply valve is set to repeatedly open and be closed by a pulse signal at regular intervals, and the gas is supplied to the chamber at a supply flow rate determined by means of the control valve during a time the second supply valve is open. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at a first timing when the second supply valve is opened, the control valve is controlled so that a first control pressure corresponding to a first gas supply flow rate is maintained in the second section, and
 at a second timing when the second supply valve is closed, if a pressure of a gas remaining in the second section is greater than a second control pressure corresponding to a second gas supply flow rate in a third timing, the second circulation valve is controlled to open for a set period of time.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein if a difference between the pressure of the gas remaining in the second section and a pressure of the gas remaining in the circulation line is greater than a reference value, the second circulation valve is controlled to open at a third timing when the second supply valve is opened. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a dump line branched from the circulation line at a position between the first circulation valve and the second circulation valve, and connected to a discharge end; and   a dump valve provided on the dump line.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein during a blocking time when the second supply valve is closed, an opening of the dump valve is controlled based on internal pressures of the gas supply line, an internal pressure of the circulation line, and a control pressure for gas supply after the blocking time. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein at a first timing when the second supply valve is opened, the control valve is controlled so that a first control pressure corresponding to a first gas supply flow rate is maintained in the second section,
 at a second timing when the second supply valve is closed, if a pressure of the gas remaining in the second section is greater than a second control pressure corresponding to a second gas supply flow rate in a third timing, the second circulation valve is controlled to open for a set period of time,   at a third timing when the second supply valve is opened, the control valve is controlled so that the second control pressure is maintained in the second section, and   at a fourth timing when the second supply valve is closed, if a pressure of the first section is greater than a first reference value, a pressure of the circulation line is greater than a second reference value, and a pressure of the second section is greater than a third control pressure corresponding to a third gas supply flow rate in a fifth timing, the dump valve is controlled to open.   
     
     
         20 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a chamber in which processing on a substrate is performed;   a gas supplying apparatus configured to supply a gas to the chamber; and   a control device configured to control an operation of the gas supplying apparatus,   wherein the gas supplying apparatus comprises:   a gas supply line connected from a gas source to a chamber and providing a flow path for a gas;   a circulation line branching off from a branch point of the gas supply line and connected to an upstream side of the branch point;   an ejector having an internal space that sucks a gas provided from the circulation line using a pressure of the gas introduced from the gas source, and injecting the gas in the internal space into the gas supply line;   a flow control module configured to regulate a flow rate of the gas supplied to the chamber by controlling the pressure of the gas in the gas supply line;   a first supply valve provided between the ejector and the flow control module;   a second supply valve provided between the flow control module and the chamber;   a first circulation valve provided at a position adjacent to the flow control module in the circulation line connecting the ejector and the flow control module;   a second circulation valve provided at a position adjacent to the ejector in the circulation line;   a dump line branched from the circulation line at a position between the first circulation valve and the second circulation valve, and connected to a discharge end;   a dump valve provided on the dump line;   a first pressure gauge provided in a first section between the first supply valve and the flow control module in the gas supply line; and   a circulation line pressure gauge provided between the first circulation valve and the second circulation valve in the circulation line,   wherein the flow control module comprises:   a control valve provided at a position adjacent to the first supply valve and controlling an opening rate of the gas supply line;   an orifice provided at a position adjacent to the second supply valve;   a second pressure gauge provided in a second section between the control valve and the orifice in the gas supply line;   a third pressure gauge provided in a third section between the orifice and the second supply valve; and   a controller configured to control the control valve to maintain a pressure of the second section in the gas supply line at a set control pressure,   wherein the control device transmits information about a supply flow rate of the gas to the controller of the flow control module,   the controller determines a control pressure of the flow control module based on the supply flow rate of the gas, and controls the control valve to maintain the control pressure in the second section while the gas is supplied to the chamber, and   the control device controls whether to open the first circulation valve based on a pressure of the gas remaining in the second section and a control pressure of the flow control module.